Likes Likes:  23
Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 55

Thread: Is this group so boring because anyone with something of interest to say is banned?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Bedford, England
    Posts
    1,201
    Likes (received)
    2

    Default Is this group so boring because anyone with something of interest to say is banned?

    I mean, how many times can one discuss the finer points of gyaku gote?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Harrogate, North Yorkshire, UK
    Posts
    4,232
    Likes (received)
    97

    Default

    Forums peaked in their popularity around ten years ago, not just this one, but all bulletin boards/forums/discussion pages. The shift toward Facebook and Twitter took a lot of the traffic.

    I've always seen the forums as a friendly chat in a pub or cafe. There are people who come and go, there are regulars, there are the crusty old geezers in the corner who just seem to live there... some topics for discussion come around again and again, some in response to News or current affairs. When a newcomer arrives in the group they'll often kick-start a conversation that the regulars have been over too many times before. If it is given a fresh approach, or the participants are in the mood, then the conversation can be rewarding even for those oft-repeated tales. When someone comes in with a chip on their shoulder, or has some agenda they'd like to pursue, they may get a variety of reactions, from being ostracised, to being picked up by the scruff of the neck and ejected by the Landlord.

    A really good chat can often benefit from some strong-willed, opinionated members who take up positions that invite a reaction. Sometimes that just becomes a dreary bore. When someone makes a nuisance of themselves in my local pub, they may end up being barred. They'll have to go and find another pub somewhere. Things may get quiet for a while and some of the remaining members will lament that "fings ain't the same no more". Oh well, that's life. Best to hope that the next batch of fresh new blood can bring some excitement with them.

    I don't think that being banned is a medal of honour to show "I had something of interest to say". I think that is the excuse that people give themselves to justify being obstinate. Consequently, those who are least able to listen, or adjust to the audience, end up with the least listeners. Preaching to a few goats on a dusty hilltop isn't really going to get the message across, if you want to be heard then you may need to make compromises.

    But maybe that's just me. To misquote the Steppenwolf song, I was always "Born to be Mild".
    David Noble
    Shorinji Kempo (1983 - 1988)
    I'll think of a proper sig when I get a minute...

    For now, I'm just waiting for the smack of the Bo against a hard wooden floor....

  3. Likes JL., cxt liked this post
  4. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Harrogate, North Yorkshire, UK
    Posts
    4,232
    Likes (received)
    97

    Default

    Having said that, I think Dirk might have some particular topics that he would like to see discussed, but feels they may be deemed "inappropriate" by the Forum Moderators. Perhaps some carefully worded threads would allow those topics to be raised. Or is "carefully worded" not enough? One could always try...
    David Noble
    Shorinji Kempo (1983 - 1988)
    I'll think of a proper sig when I get a minute...

    For now, I'm just waiting for the smack of the Bo against a hard wooden floor....

  5. Likes JL., cxt liked this post
  6. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    Hiroshima, Japan.
    Posts
    2,550
    Likes (received)
    151

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by dirk.bruere View Post
    I mean, how many times can one discuss the finer points of gyaku gote?
    Well, for me, gyaku gote is of interest because in the martial art I practice we do not use this name, though, knowing Japanese, I can understand what it means.

    Sometimes, I am reluctant to post in a forum like this because it is perceived as being closed: a forum where non-SK practitioners are not made very welcome. However, the perception of being closed operates on two levels: a general level, of SK vs. other budo; and a particular level, of SK as a 'political' art, in which one particular 'brand' is considered to be authentic and favored over others.

    That said, (1) E-Budo has become more collectively managed since the ownership changed. All the senior moderators are also part-owners and decisions to ban people are taken only after extensive discussions, and (2) forum moderators usually (but not always) have some measure of expertise in the relevant art and this is of value when moderating a particular forum in a general arena like E-Budo. However, in moderating forums they are not expected to operate fiefdoms where they are the resident daimyo.

    Best wishes,
    Peter Goldsbury,
    Forum Administrator,
    Hiroshima, Japan

  7. Likes JL., cxt, mkrueger liked this post
  8. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Posts
    2,047
    Likes (received)
    7

    Default

    Dirk, you're right, many people with interesting things to say have been banned. However, unbanning them would probably not lead to any great reinvigorating of this forum. I prefer to discuss stuff on my facebook page these days, which is obviously less public, but also less anodyne.
    David Dunn
    Cambridge Dojo
    BSKF

  9. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Tokyo
    Posts
    6
    Likes (received)
    4

    Default

    Well, on that note I guess it is time to inject some fresh blood into this forum, though unfortunately, I may not be exciting!

    Hi All, my name is Steve. I live in Tokyo and just recently (a couple of weeks ago) took up Shorinji Kempo. I originally came to Tokyo in 2000 and studied Yohinkan Aikido, but have been out of martial arts for a little over 10 years. My fat, middle aged glutes are screaming at me, but I am enjoying what I am learning so far.

    My Shorinji Kempo club has a kids class (that my son is participating in) and an adult class where everyone but me is Yudansha, and I have the blessing of working with a friendly, knowledgeable group of kenshi.

    It is surprising to me that after all this time, my Aikido habits and form emerge naturally in my techniques, so I have a ton to unlearn as I want to do things the Shorinji Kempo way, but many movements and especially Joho technique bear more than a passing resemblance to techniques I am familiar with.

    Cheers,

    Steve van Maanen

  10. Likes Tripitaka of AA, JL. liked this post
  11. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    Hiroshima, Japan.
    Posts
    2,550
    Likes (received)
    151

    Default

    Hello Steve,

    Welcome to E-Budo. I will be interested to know what you are having to unlearn as you advance in your SK training.

    Best wishes,
    Peter Goldsbury,
    Forum Administrator,
    Hiroshima, Japan

  12. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Tokyo
    Posts
    6
    Likes (received)
    4

    Default

    Hi Peter and thanks for the warm welcome,

    As I progress I'll let you know. For now it is very basic things such as body movements. I tend to keep my weight more forward on the front foot when moving, and my forward foot angled out. From my extremely limited experience in Shorinji Kempo, I need to keep my weight back for the movements we were performing. Ukemi is also different. Once I have a few more months under my belt I'll be able to provide better observations. Right now I don't even have the terminology to discuss specifically what we were doing.

    Cheers,

    Steve

  13. Likes Tripitaka of AA liked this post
  14. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Posts
    1,394
    Likes (received)
    84

    Default

    Welcome!!!
    Chris Thomas

    "While people are entitled to their illusions, they are not entitled to a limitless enjoyment of them and they are not entitled to impose them upon others."

    "Team Cynicism" MVP 2005-2006
    Currently on "Injured/Reserve" list due to a scathing Sarcasm pile-up.

  15. Likes Steve liked this post
  16. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Bedford, England
    Posts
    1,201
    Likes (received)
    2

    Default

    Unlike a lot of people, I joined SK because of its religious and political aspects.
    However, those two topics seem to be constantly suppressed by the "unwritten rules".
    Not to mention the possibility of Honbu sticking its oar in should the current goings on in WSKO, and our opinions, become a bit "uncomfortable".

  17. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Tokyo
    Posts
    6
    Likes (received)
    4

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by dirk.bruere View Post
    Unlike a lot of people, I joined SK because of its religious and political aspects.
    However, those two topics seem to be constantly suppressed by the "unwritten rules".
    Not to mention the possibility of Honbu sticking its oar in should the current goings on in WSKO, and our opinions, become a bit "uncomfortable".

    Interesting Dirk that you join because of the religious/political aspects, and yet at the same time are concerned about the main source of those aspects somehow subverting them. Unless of course, you are now that main source .

  18. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Bedford, England
    Posts
    1,201
    Likes (received)
    2

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve View Post
    Interesting Dirk that you join because of the religious/political aspects, and yet at the same time are concerned about the main source of those aspects somehow subverting them. Unless of course, you are now that main source .
    I joined 35 years ago and am comparing the original aims and ideals of SK with what is happening now. The main source of those ideals was the founder, Doshin So. What has happened to WSKO in the years since his death has been the systematic stripping away of most of the religious aspects coupled with an incompetent push towards WSKO/SK as a corporate entity. The breakup of SK in the UK is the measure of the utter incompetence and chaotic "leadership" shown by WSKO.
    Anything else you would care to ask?

  19. #13
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    Hiroshima, Japan.
    Posts
    2,550
    Likes (received)
    151

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by dirk.bruere View Post
    I joined 35 years ago and am comparing the original aims and ideals of SK with what is happening now. The main source of those ideals was the founder, Doshin So. What has happened to WSKO in the years since his death has been the systematic stripping away of most of the religious aspects coupled with an incompetent push towards WSKO/SK as a corporate entity. The breakup of SK in the UK is the measure of the utter incompetence and chaotic "leadership" shown by WSKO.
    Anything else you would care to ask?
    What kind of effect did the fact of the war (World War II) have on the development of SK? The founder of aikido expressed his vision for budo in the concepts and language of Omoto, a 'new religion' founded in 1892. The result was that few of his disciples understood what he said because they did not have the tools to do so. His son Kisshomaru, who had little time for Omoto, decided to open up aikido as a general martial art, available to anybody and dedicated to world peace and good health. One important point is that Ueshiba's life (1883-1969) straddled the war years and he ceased to have much direct involvement in the management of the art as an organization after 1955.
    Peter Goldsbury,
    Forum Administrator,
    Hiroshima, Japan

  20. #14
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Tokyo
    Posts
    6
    Likes (received)
    4

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by dirk.bruere View Post
    I joined 35 years ago and am comparing the original aims and ideals of SK with what is happening now. The main source of those ideals was the founder, Doshin So. What has happened to WSKO in the years since his death has been the systematic stripping away of most of the religious aspects coupled with an incompetent push towards WSKO/SK as a corporate entity. The breakup of SK in the UK is the measure of the utter incompetence and chaotic "leadership" shown by WSKO.
    Anything else you would care to ask?
    Yes there is. What happened in the UK with regards to Shorinji Kempo?

  21. #15
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Bedford, England
    Posts
    1,201
    Likes (received)
    2

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve View Post
    Yes there is. What happened in the UK with regards to Shorinji Kempo?
    An argument over expense claims by the then (Japanese) Chief Instructor of the British Shorinji Kempo Federation. It's all on this site somewhere unless it has been "revised" from history. There was an agreement to just allow him to retire quietly. Meanwhile another faction at Honbu (WSKO) screamed "Thief!" very publicly and after all the fuss died down most of BSKF was no longer WSKO. Almost all the people here stuck with WSKO (including me), but we are a small minority compared to what was. Similar things have happened in other nations and even Japan, but nobody here will dish the dirt because promotions are controlled by WSKO

Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. point of interest (for me anyway)
    By ahundara in forum Old School by Ellis Amdur
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 18th July 2012, 01:42
  2. Replies: 26
    Last Post: 20th January 2007, 18:00
  3. Of interest to judoists, perhaps
    By fogarty in forum News from Japan
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 3rd October 2006, 18:12
  4. Iaito length plus other boring questions
    By Andoru in forum Sword Arts
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 28th February 2005, 12:21
  5. We've banned handguns, we've banned knives... how about eggs?
    By Tripitaka of AA in forum Member's Lounge
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 31st October 2004, 21:45

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •